


The Color's Shadow

by Dragonmancer



Category: Furry - Fandom
Genre: Color, Discovery, Drake - Freeform, Fantasy, Folf, Furry, Magic, Story, learning, power
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:54:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23976325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragonmancer/pseuds/Dragonmancer
Summary: Farluer is a drake with an obsession for colors.  But because of his strange power, he changes every color he comes into contact with a strange not of this world type of color. This story explains the origins of the drake Farluer





	The Color's Shadow

The Color’s Shadow  
By Raymora Mayven  
Color. For his entire life, that is the only thing that really mattered to Farluer. Nearly every moment of his life he would spend admiring the different colors of his home, of his own body, of everything that existed.   
It amazed him how the entire world was made from just a few colors, all shades of what he learned is purple, blue and pink. Granted, he hasn’t really seen much of his world, but according to what his friends tell him, the world isn’t much different than his current home. That was hard to believe anyways.   
But he knew his friends wouldn’t dare lie to him, there is just no reason to. Yet, he still wondered if there were any more colors they didn’t know about.   
“Why do you care so much about finding different colors, isn’t three enough?” asked the small vulplus that leaned his back against one of Far’s front legs. The huge purple drake lowered his snout to meet the fox in eye level.   
The fox was one of Farluer’s many friends, they came to visit him every now and then. They were very kind, and looked similar, at least in form of clothing; each wearing a coat of something. He didn’t know much about them, for they prefered to keep the conversation on him rather than themselves.   
However, he did know they were all writers. Everytime they came to visit him, they always had a clipboard and a pen with them. They told him that talking to him was very inspiring, so they made sure to write down any ideas they had so they wouldn’t forget them. Farluer thought it was a clever idea.   
“I’ve told you, I want to learn everything I can about colors. Even if there are only three colors in this world, different things could have different colors.” he said respectfully. “Like, look at this.” Farluer placed one of his claws on the pink coat the fox was wearing.  
There were extra precautions he had to take, with everyone else being around the size of his arm and all he had to be as gentle as possible.   
“Your coat is the color pink is it not? But last week my other friend came in here with a purple one.” he explained. His friend nodded, slowly pushing away Far’s claw and taking a few steps back. “Every single object isn’t restricted to one color; two objects can be exactly the same, yet both can wear a different color. Does that notion not amaze you?”  
Before his friend had the chance to respond, a small blue light blinked from the ceiling, signifying his visit was over. Farluer nodded and turned his head away, biding his friend farewell. Now, once again, the drake was alone within his room.   
According to Farluer’s caretakers, the drake was found by himself many years ago. He had no family, no home and horrible injuries across his body. Farluer didn’t remember any of that, he didn’t know where he was from nor who his parents were. The first memory he could recall was being amazing by everything, more specifically, the colors.   
His life wasn’t very hard, he had friends and never had to worry about food. His every need was taken care of- all except for one. No matter how much he begged, they would never let him visit the outside world. The caretakers told him it was way too dangerous, there was nothing to learn there. Growing up within a cave, seeing the same colors on the same objects over and over again started to bore him.   
What he wanted to know how the world looked outside of his cave. Was there really only three colors in the entire world? Even so, how do they look upon different objects, like could the walls be pink instead of the purple they are now? So many questions, so many possibilities, but for how long will he have to wait for answers?   
At the very least, they could just let him see the other parts of his cave. For now, there were only two places he was able to go. His current position, his bedroom which had a large nest for him to sleep in and a small corner with painting supplies. The canvas was covered in different colors in one tangled blob, Farluer wasn’t a painter, he just loved messing with the colors, mixing them together and watching the results.   
The rest of the day wasn’t very interesting. Hours passed by quickly, nothing to do but listen to the sounds of silence. To others, it could be madding to be alone for so long, but Farluer enjoyed these moments. During these moments the drake would curl into a small ball and sleep.   
His dreams were very vivid, yet obscure at the same time. It was very colorful, filled with the usual colors of his world. There were also strange colors that flooded his vision, pouring not only into his sight but his other senses as well. Each color looked, felt, smelled, and even tasted differently. Hundreds of them, calling to him in a distorted choir.   
In the dream, Farluer was floating in a void of colors, most of which he had never seen before. Not a very frightening experience for him, instead he was filled with amazement, joyful wonder as he made his way through the torrent of colors. It was a moment of pure bliss, colors flowing through his very body; almost as if he was a part of something bigger than himself, a complex system of chromatic desires.   
On any other day, Farluer would be lost within his dreams until the break of dawn. However, after only a few hours, Farluer heard a distinct voice within his dream, only realizing that it was not another color calling upon him, rather a familiar voice of one of his friends.   
Shaking himself awake, the drake noticed that he was being watched. Five in total, four which he recognized as his friends. The dream faded into the void of Far’s mind, as he couldn’t remember a single thing about what he saw other than the colors he already knew of his world. He had hoped that one day he might remember what the other colors looked like.  
Three of his friends stood in the back, near the large gate that stood as the entrance, each holding their clipboards and watching with interested expressions. Yet, there was something unsettling about the look his fourth friend gave the stranger who stood inches away from Far.   
He was far more built than the others, broad shoulders and short stubby snout; the feline carried a demanding aura around him. The dark, very expensive looking suit, gave away that this pink feline was someone of importance. With eyes of pure confidence, the stranger stared at Farluer, studying him from snout to tail.   
Next to him stood Farluer’s other friend, a young dark purple folf who visited far the most. Far noticed that she looked concerned, even if her formal posture did not show it, it was clear something was worrying her.   
“Tell me everything you know about Subject No.14.” He addressed the folf without taking his eyes off of purple drake that loomed before him, now running his eyes down Far’s pink mane.   
For a second, the folf showed hesitation, like an internal conflict was keeping her from speaking. Far had never seen her like this, she was always bright and very inquisitive, always asking the drake questions every time she visited.   
But now, she remained silent, yet remained as professional as she could. The feline grew inpatient, announcing his question to the entire room.   
Someone from the back cleared his throat. “Sir, we’ve had little progress in our attempts to understand the chromatic properties of No.14.” Farluer tilted his head, looking at his friend. He wondered what he was talking about, never had Farluer heard the term “Subject No.14” before.   
“If I may Sir,” the folf interjected. “I don’t think it is the best idea to discuss this in front of Farluer”. A shadow of confusion flickered upon the strange feline’s face, and for the first time since entering the room, he turned his attention from Far.   
“You named it?” he asked, tilting his head.  
“It just seems far too rudimentary to call another living being a number” she replied. It was then where Farluer realized they were talking about him. This realization didn’t help much however, as he still didn’t understand why they were referring to him in such a manner.   
The folf gulped as the feline took a few steps towards her, but he wasn’t focused on her, instead pushing past her, to the other people who stood in the back. “Whatever we wish to call that creature, I want to know right now, tell me where it came from.”  
Another voice came from the three, different from the first one who spoke up. “Subject No.14 was discovered 14 years ago, in the center of what we thought to be a large meteor crash. Witnesses say that once No.14 made contact with the land, everything became devoid.”  
“Devoid?” he inquired.   
Speaking now was the last of Farluer’s friends, the fox from earlier. “Chromatic displacement, otherwise known as devoid, is the process in which color from our world is drained, and replaced by strange colors, which have a close likeness to the colors purple, blue, and pink.”  
Farluer paid close attention to their words, it was the first time they had talked about his past. Was it true that he really did come from space? And what was this devoid they were talking about. None of this made any sense to him, yet all his friends spoke with certainty, a tone they had never used with him.   
“And what happens to the colors that are devoid?”  
A loud thump rolled across the room, diverting the attention to the folf who had just deliberately dropped her clipboard. Once all the eyes, including Far’s, were upon her, she began to speak.   
“As you may know, we have confirmed that the colors that are devoid are transferred into power for Farluer. With every color he aborse, he grows stronger.”  
The feline cracked a smile, and returned to her side. “So it is true. Tell me, is it possible to control?”   
“At this current point in time, it would seem that Farluer has no control over his power at all, however I do believe that with time, he might be able to focus his power.” she replied, keeping her stance firm.   
At this point, the pink feline was so close to the folf, Farluer worried he might try to attack her. He placed one paw upon her slim shoulder, and shook his head. “Tsk, allow me to rephrase my question. How long until we are able to replicate his power?”   
She snarled and gently pushed his paw off, giving the confused purple drake a silent gaze, after which she returned to the feline. “My goal, as with the goal of everyone else here, is to understand this amazing discovery that was made years ago. I will not stay from my purpose.”   
Farluer thought this was going to be the turning point, that someone was about to do something very rash, but to his surprise, the feline’s grinned and scoffed. “Need I remind you that I am your sole benefactor?”   
“Remember that without my financial support, none of this would be here. I own everything in this room” he said, as he extended his arms to address the entire room. “All your equipment is mine. All your scientists and researchers are mine. You are mine, and that creature,” he pointed towards Farluer, “Is mine.”   
She nodded to show she understood, but still expressed signs of resentment. “Still, I am against this experiment. There is no saying what could happen, the risk could be to-”  
“Isn’t that what science is about? Taking risks in order to achieve a better understanding? You of all people should know that.” he snapped.   
No response was given, instead the defeated folf fell into line with Far’s other friends. “Very well. Let the experiment comence.”  
With that said, the massive gate swung open, and from it emerged three more strangers, each holding a plate with a large piece of cloth atop of it. They nodded to the folf and made their way to the feline, who returned to studying Farluer.   
“Subject No.14.” It took a few moments for Far to realize that he was talking to him directly; at that moment Far understood that he was No.14. Far lowered his snout to reach eye level with the feline. “I’ve been told you have quite the interest in colors, is this correct.”   
“Uh, yes it is correct. I’ve always wanted to learn more about them.” Far stated. The stranger began to circle the drake, his face contorting as he examined him.   
“And why is that?” he asked, taking large steps forward. “Is it their beauty? Are they attracted to them? Do they call you?” Each question was followed by another step, until he stood face to face with Far. There was something unsettling in the way the feline stared at Far, it wasn’t like a person looking at another, but as a hunter eyes down it’s prey.   
Farluer slowly pulled his head back, going as far as retracting his front claws to his body. What Far didn’t expect, was the feline to take another step forward when he did, practically cornering the drake at this point.   
“Don’t be scared, If you help me, I can give all the colors you could ever want.” With that, he gestured to the other three strangers who had entered the room not too long ago. Once they were close enough, the feline asked one more question. “How many colors are in this world?”  
“Three, blue, pink, and purple,” he said immediately.  
“Hm, I see. It is very impressive that they have managed to hide the truth from you for so long.” Far gave him a confused look, tilting his head sideways. The first of the three walked up, and handed the covered plate to the feline.   
The folf speaked, as if she was trying to say something, but instantly stopped herself as the feline removed the cloth.   
Burning astonishment consumed Farluer as he tried to process what he was seeing. Sitting calming upon that plate, was a simple cube. But it wasn’t the cube that plowed it’s way throughout Farleur’s entire mind, it was the color of it. In a way, it was like pink, except a thousand times brighter, yet also darker in some ways? It seemed impossible to comprehend, until he remembered something.   
His mind made the connection, and suddenly he could remember that color vividly from his dreams.  
“Surprised? Good. You should be. You may think you know a lot about our colors, but you haven’t even scratched the surface of it all. Right here, is the color we know as red.”  
Red? A word that otherwise would have no meaning now confounded the drake, his confusion clear on display. Yet that was not the only thing he felt, a growing excitement also began to storm across his body. He was right, there were more colors in this world.  
That same thought was followed by one much darker. If there were indeed more colors, does that mean his friends were wrong? Or were they lying to him? But why would they do that to him, it didn’t make any sense. Far decided he would ask them later, it must be some kind of misunderstanding.   
Next up was a color that looked brighter than anything he had seen before. Yellow, another color he would recognize within his dreams. Never did he think something could be so bright, so warm.  
Excitement took over any of the fear that Far held onto, letting his worries dissolve into a state of happiness, and pure curiosity. He watched eagerly as they prepared to uncover the final color.   
It was a lot to process at once, endless possibilities racing through Farluer’s mind. However, instead of another wave of amazement, he was stumped with a strand of confusion. On that plate wasn’t a different color, it was something he sees every single day.   
Maybe it was a mistake? Farluer asked the feline, who gave him a slight nod. “I can feel your confusion, and I will elaborate, but first you must answer one thing for me: where did you come from.”   
The question was simple, but strange. “I was born here, why do you ask?” he answered.   
“So, you didn’t even tell him that?” the feline asked the folf. She shook her head in response, looking shamed for something.   
“It just didn’t seem necessary.” she muttered, most likely knowing it would upset her boss.   
“I decide what is necessary and what isn’t. You named it, and yet you refuse to tell it such important information.” he shouted. His friendly demeanor had disappeared, returning to his former, more sinister looking presence. It mattered little to Farluer however, his mind was still fixed upon the new colors he had just been introduced to.   
She apologized but did not return to the others. Her boss looked annoyed but dismissed taking future actions. “Never mind that. No.14, you are not from this world, nothing about you is. Not even your colors.”   
There was something about the way he said the last part, emphasising the word colors. Farluer focused upon the blue cube that sat in front of him, wondering why it felt different from the natural blue he was used to. Unlike his blue, the color of the cube called to him, all of the three cubes did. How he wished he could reach out and touch them, wanting to feel the colors firsthand.   
Fourtantly, he managed to resist his inner desire. “These three are known as the primary colors,” the man resumed, going into a brief explanation on the concepts of color theory but Farluer didn’t pay any attention to it. He was way more interested in the cubes, their beauty and mysterious nature driving him mad with desire.   
Not too long passed before the feline realized that Farluer had other priorities. Of course, the drake didn’t notice the aggravated glare he was receiving. Finailly, after the room went completely silent, did he look up from the cube towards his audience.   
“This obsession with colors is exactly the reason we should go through with my plan,” he growled. Mutters were heard from the back of the room, some of agreement and others of concern. Far had never seen his friends like this, stern and focused. Each eying him like he was a piece of art on display; like how Farluer looked at the colors.   
“This clearly isn’t working.” he announced, storming his way to the door. As he passed the folf, he snarled something nearly intangible. Her face contorted upon hearing him, startled by whatever he had just said. With a bitter nod, the feline exited the room, with Farluer’s friends following him as he left.   
While she trailed the others, the folf stopped at the door and gave Farluer sorrowful glance, and disappeared into the door. For maybe a moment the drake put a little thought into the events he just witnessed, until his eyes caught hold of the three strangely colored cubes that were lying on the ground.  
Not waiting a second longer, he collected each of the cubes and adjusted himself so he was sitting with his two hindlegs supporting him upright. Each cube covered in one color, told him so much more than he ever thought to consider. Throughout everything, all the years of his life, Farluer dreamed of something more. Never for a single instance, did he want something other than new colors to explore.   
Cube in hand, Far felt stronger. The strange colors fueled his desire to leave his home to explore the world as it was, to learn everything about this world of colors. Within them, held strength, amazement, and thousands of mysteries that he so desperately sought to unlock.   
Time flew by, the night filled with theories and wonder. Nothing else mattered to him, not even the tiredness that crept upon him. Nevertheless, not even the captivating power of the colors was enough to keep Farluer’s eyes open; the drake drifting off to sleep without much resistance.   
Just as before Farluer’s dreams were full of colors, and this time he was able to recognize many of them. A few of them were still lost to him, but during the time which he was awake he figured that these unknown colors could be offsets or mixtures of the primary colors.   
Suddenly, everything was torn away from him. A hazy figure stood in front of his unadjusted eyes, one of feminie stature. “Farluer follow me, quickly,” she whispered, scuttling away once the words left her snout. By the time his vision had cleared up, the folf was already gone.   
In the door frame, a small purple paw beckoned Farluer to follow.  
He smiled with excitement, he had only ever left his room once a long time ago. Years of asking and pleading seemed to have finally paid off. Although, he admitted the folf did seem a bit strange. Whatever the case, he made sure to scoop up the cubes before making his way towards the gate.   
He peered his head around the door, and found himself in a long corridor. Fortunately it was wide for him to walk through without any issues. On the other hand, the ceiling was just high enough so that only the top of Far’s mane brushed against it. Dark colors covered the entire hallway, limiting his sight to only a few feet in front of him.   
Now Farluer was starting to feel a bit nervous. Chills started to crawl up all four of his legs, but he didn’t understand why. There was nothing to be afraid of, as a matter of fact there was nothing at all. He realized that was the problem.   
Nothing was like he had imagined it to be. Extravagantly decorated halls, colors mixing within the structure creating something of beauty. But where he stood, what he saw was a dark, cold and sinister hallway that looked nothing like his room. It didn’t feel like a home, it felt like a prison.   
Against his strongest desires to turn back, Farluer pushed himself forward. As he walked through the empty hall, he felt alone. He thought his friends would live in the same place that he did, but he saw nothing.   
Large foreboding doors stood at the end of the corridor. Both of them hung open, showing a larger room within them. Something in that room caught his attention, and for the first time, it wasn’t a color.   
It was a large screen, surrounded by four other smaller screens. Every single one of them displayed the same empty room, a room that had familiar colors.   
“What?” he gasped once he saw his collection of paints and nest displayed vividly upon the screens. It was Farluer’s room. An overhead view displayed on the largest screen, with the other four screens showing different angles.   
Does this mean he was being watched? Nothing about him seemed different or worth investigating at all. There had to be more to this, and that was only proven true as a voice gained his attention.   
“Subject No.14 was discovered after what was suspected to be a mentor crashed into our earth years ago. Everything in the zone of impact was found changed: their colors changed from their natural state to an unknown color.” Farluer followed her voice to the back of the room, where she stood facing a large table that was covered in papers and files.   
“After preliminary research we can confirm that this color is unlike others we have on our planet. That is when we found the source of this strange color.” The folf turned towards Farluer, the look in her eyes which said she was not playing games. “We found you that day, a child among that chaos. Farluer, this isn’t your home. This is your prison.” she finally said, without turning towards him.   
This couldn’t be, Farluer knew this had to be a trick of some kind. “What kind of joke is this?” he asked, adding a nervous laugh.   
“This is no joke Farluer, can’t you see?” Still not looking at Far, she pointed towards the large wall of screens. “They are watching you Far, studying you.”  
“No, my friends would’ve told me,” he said in disbelief.   
Instead of words, she responded first with a burst of laughter. “You don’t get it! They are not your friends, they are scientists paid by the government to monitor, contain, and study you. Everything they ask or give you is for the sole purpose of research.”  
Taking a slight pause, the next words she said were sharp, and stuck Farluer with undeniable truth. “To them, you are nothing but an experiment.”  
In a matter of seconds, everything Farluer thought he knew, was torn away. Everything had been a lie, but for what reason he wondered. When he voiced his question to the folf, she asked him if he still had those colored cubes on him. Briefly his obsession for colors overcame him, unable to resist his smile as he remembered the cubes which he held firmly within his front hand.  
She asked him to take out these cubes, slowly turning around and meeting Far face to face. Without waiting, he extended the hand that contained the three cubes, opening his claw.   
The moment the cubes were visible, he instantly dropped them to the floor and gasped in shock. “What, I don’t understand, there weren’t like this before” he stammered, placing his head on the ground and staring helplessly at the cubes. Instead of the colors they were given to him as, they had turned into the same colors he has always seen:blue, pink, and purple.   
“It can’t be. How did this happen?” whimpered Far.  
Her answer wasn’t immediate, instead she walked towards the drake and placed her paw softly upon his head. “You're special Farluer. You take the colors from our world, and convert them into colors of your own.” she whispered. To think that something so grim would make so much sense to Farluer, he hated it.   
Colors have always been the highlight of his life, but knowing this truth his dream of ever learning more about colors was fading away faster than his own confusion. He knew that is the reason why they kept him in isolation, why they contained and studied him.   
Softly the folf ran her paw down his mane, and said something shocking. “Farluer, I don’t have much evidence, but I believe you can control your power.” She went on to explain that Farluer’s power is most likely controlled throughout emotions, and if he learned to contain them, he would be able to keep himself from accidently devoiding any colors.  
There was now hope for him, a chance to still live out his dream. But something didn’t feel right. This was too sudden, too much for little reason.   
“Why are you telling me this?”  
She growled and pulled her paw away from Farluer, motioning him to follow her somewhere. They both went into another dark corridor, and while they were walking the folf started to explain.  
“The feline that you talked to earlier was my boss. He funds this entire program, and by legal rights, you are his property. He wants to reverse engineer your power, turn it into some type of weapon, sell it to make some profit.” Not once did she stop during this, Farluer had to match her pace in order to not get left behind.  
At first he didn’t know where she was going with this, both physical and with implications. However, the moment he saw the large purple doors in front of him, he knew what she was doing.  
“You can’t be serious.” he whispered. Both parties did not want this outcome, Farluer could tell that because the folf’s tail dropped to the flow as she began opening the gates.  
“I’m sorry Far, but you can’t stay here. My boss plans on some pretty terrible things. I can’t convince him otherwise.” she said regretfully.   
“Hey, why are you doing this? You told me it was just your job right. If you let me go, won’t you pay the price?” to his dismay, she nodded in agreement.   
“That matters little to me. Farluer, listen to me. Once you leave you should never return here again. This project was kept a big secret, which means you shouldn’t have to worry about being caught.”  
She gave him some worldly advice, how to stay safe, what to eat and what not to. When she was done, Farluer attempted one last objective, but the folf clearly had her mind set. Standing up straight, she smiled at Farluer.  
“You know Farluer, out there is hundreds of colors that you have never even heard of. Brown, Orange, so much more stands on the other side of this gate. No more walls Farluer, just the open world for you to explore. Learn to control your power, and you will have all the colors you want.   
It was obvious she had planned for Farluer’s resistances, because these were the exact words he needed to hear. Realization that she was correct struck him harder than anything before, excitement and curiosity filling his very bones.   
No longer would Farluer be confused or scared, his past and whatever he had experienced faded away behind a curtain of chromatic desire! Who cares if he was some lab rat for most of his life, because the more he spent thinking about what was, leaves him with less time to think about what will be.   
He thanked the folf for everything she had done for Far, and awaited as the gates flung open.  
In one moment, everything he had thought he knew was gone. Nothing would be the same now. For what stood before him was a world of colors he had never even seen before.   
And now, the only thing left to do, was to explore it.


End file.
